Latex peptidases of Calotropis procera for dehairing of leather as an alternative to environmentally toxic sodium sulfide treatment

Abstract

Dehairing of crude leather is a critical stage performed at the beginning of its processing to obtain industrially useful pieces. Tanneries traditionally apply a chemical process based on sodium sulfide. Since this chemical reactive is environmentally toxic and inefficiently recycled, innovative protocols for reducing or eliminating its use in leather depilation are welcomed. Therefore, latex peptidases from Calotropis procera (CpLP) and Cryptostegia grandiflora (CgLP) were assayed for this purpose. Enzyme activity on substrates representative of skin such as hide powder azure (U), elastin (U), azocollagen (U), keratin (U), and epidermis (U) was determined, while depilation activity was assayed on cow hide. Only CpLP was active against keratin (13.4 U) and only CgLP was active against elastin (0.12 U). CpLP (93.0 U, 403.6 U, 36.3 U) showed higher activity against the other substrates than CgLP (47.6 U, 261.5 U, 8.5 U). In pilot assays, CpLP (0.05% w/v with sodium sulfite 0.6% w/v as activator) released hairs from cow hide pieces. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the hide revealed that the dehairing process was complete and the leather structure was preserved. The proteolytic system of C. procera is a suitable bioresources to be exploited by tanneries.

Production of Plant Proteases and New Biotechnological Applications: An Updated Review

“…Lopéz et al. investigated the application of peptidases from Calotropis procera latex (CpLP) and Cryptostegia grandiflora latex (CgPL), plants belonging to the Apocynaceae family, for dehairing process [91] …”

An Overview of the Characteristics and Potential of Calotropis procera From Botanical, Ecological, and Economic Perspectives

“…The plant yields valuable hydrocarbons and holds the potential to produce bioenergy and biofuel, which could be used as diesel substitutes in the future (Kumar, 2018). Studies also recommend the use of its enzyme extract to tenderize muscle foods such as pork, beef, and chicken (Rawdkuen et al, 2013), dehair crude leather (Lopéz et al, 2017), and coagulate milk for the production of fresh cheese (Abebe and Emire, 2020). C. procera leaves are also a potential source of natural colorants for textile fabrics (Hussaan et al, 2017).…”

Látex de plantas da família Apocynaceae: Uma revisão

“…Além de conter propriedades anticâncer, o látex exibiu potencial depilatório (Lopéz et al, 2017). Assim como, foi ativo na produção de lacticínios, uma vez que ao usarem uma protease de cisteína (CpCP3) do látex de C. procera, em substituição a quimosina bovina, para produção de queijos notou-se que a protease desempenhou um mecanismo parecido com a quimiosina, entretanto a CpCP3 proporcionou maior suavidade aos queijos produzidos (Silva et al, 2019).…”

“…Peptidases do látex de C. grandiflora apresentaram-se como alternativa para tratamento depilatório, apesar de ser considerada menos efetivas do que as presentes em Calotropis procera (Lopéz et al, 2017). Outra opção para o uso de peptidases da planta seria o emprego na síntese de produtos alimentícios hipoalergênicos, visto que atuaram como agente hidrolisante de proteínas no leite de vaca, resultando em significativamente como antigenicidade, na amostra testada foi encontrada a ß-lactoglobulina (Oliveira et al, 2019).…”